The interconnection of a plurality of gaming machines to form a progressive system with a progressive jackpot are in use today. There are various ways in which the progressive jackpot may be determined. One way, for example, is to use a percentage of game play on each of the interconnected machines in order to determine the progressive jackpot. Consequently, the jackpot value progresses until a win transpires at one of the interconnected gaming machines. When a win occurs, the monetary value of the progressive jackpot is paid to the winning party. After the win, the system resets to a base jackpot value. This course of action then repeats as jackpots are won and game play continues.
A progressive controller links the gaming machines to form the progressive system and provides the means to accomplish, among other things, the course of action delineated above. In addition, electronic translators have been interposed between gaming machines and the progressive controller in order to interconnect machines with different denominations, coin-in, hit frequencies, and other differing play characteristics.
The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge applicant's acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.
______________________________________ U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS U.S. Pat. No. ISSUE DATE INVENTOR ______________________________________ 4,837,728 June 6, 1989 Barrie, et al. 5,116,055 May 26, 1992 Tracy 5,249,800 October 5, 1993 Hilgendorf, et al. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS PATENT NO. ISSUE DATE INVENTOR ______________________________________ EP 0 534 718 A2 March 31, 1993 Bally Manufacturing Corp. ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,728 to Barrie, et al. teaches the use of a typical progressive system utilized with gaming machines. Barrie, et al. provides a progressive controller for a single bank (or cluster) of slot machines at a single site.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,055 to Tracy teaches the use of a progressive system in which an electronic translator is used in addition to a progressive controller. The translator links machines with different play characteristics to the progressive controller. The dollars contributed to the progressive jackpot for a machine per win on that machine is approximately equal for the different machines.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,800 to Hilgendorf, et al. teaches the use of a progressive controller and communication unit. The communication unit is used to control the information transmitted between a group of gaming machines and the progressive controller. The communication unit collects coin-in information from each of the gaming machines and transmits this information to the progressive controller in response to periodic signals from the progressive controller.
European Patent No. 0 534 718 A2 teaches the use of an information and communication system for use with a plurality of gaming machines. The system includes a data processor and a plurality of interface units each associated with a corresponding one of the gaming machines. A plurality of control units each associated with a corresponding one of the interface units so as to provide for transfer of information to the processor from the gaming machines and from the processor to the gaming machines.